The Secret of Zorro An Old Enemy Chapter Five by Ella Christian @1999-2001 Contact author at EllaChristian@aol.com Chapter Five The Encounter Diego bade Elizabeth and his father goodbye in the stable that afternoon. The clouds parted to offer partly sunny skies. At noon, and for the first time in since his journey to Monterey that fall, he donned his buckskin riding suit and dispensed with his tie. After much debate with himself and with Bernardo, he decided to ride Padre, a faster and stronger horse than Apache. As he dressed, Bernardo tried to persuade him to dress as Zorro and take Tornado, but Diego saw no point in that. "He knows," Diego said. "What is the point of dressing as Zorro? If I find him, I might as well find him as Diego." He shrugged. "Pack my sword. Just in case. And two pistols. And add the rifle." He paused. "And the whip, too." Bernardo tapped him, then made fingerholes over his eyes as if he were peering through binoculars, and then made a fencing gesture. "Oh, so you think someone might see me fencing with him and my secret would be out?" Diego asked. Bernardo nodded. Diego shook his head. "There will be no one up there, except Windhawk and Long Lash. We have never discussed it, but they already know. I do not believe there is any danger with that." So, though Diego rode as himself, on Padre's saddle hung Zorro's sword and black whip, Diego's best rifle, and a pair of excellent pistols. On seeing the horse fully prepared, Diego wondered just how he would explain the small arsenal to anyone he might encounter on the road, but decided that given the uncertain weather and the route he planned to take, it was a good bet he would not run into anyone at all. Bernardo made the suggestion that, if he did run into anyone who saw that he had a sword, he could tell them he was taking it up into the mountains to trade with the Indians. The rifle and pistols, too. "Excellent suggestion," Diego agreed. "But how shall I explain Zorro's whip?" Bernardo pointed at his master as if to say, "you are on your own explaining that." Then Bernardo waved one more package at him, attaching it to the rear saddlebag. "What is this?" Diego asked. "A surprise?" Bernardo pointed at it and then held his hands to his chest. "What is it?" Diego asked, puzzled. Bernardo simply waved him on. Diego shrugged, after glancing at the package again. There was no time to see what his servant had conjured up now; he had to leave in order to reach the mountains before dark. "I will see what it is later, then," Diego said. Bernardo simply nodded. ****** Elizabeth clung to her husband in the stableyard as the family said their goodbyes, causing Alejandro to raise his eyebrows. Her anxious behavior took Diego by surprise, given how well she had done that morning with the fencing lesson and how unconcerned she seemed over Monastario. "Darling, I will be back in a few days," Diego said. "I will not go anywhere until I have found Windhawk and Long Lash, I promise." "It is not a good time for you to go away at all," she said to him, hanging on to his neck. "Monastario is not up there, Diego, you do not need to do this." "Liz, please," he said, trying to pull her off. "Darling..." "Is there something I am missing here?" Alejandro asked. Diego looked at his father but said nothing, instead returning his attention to his wife. "Liz, let go of me," he said. "I will not be gone long." "I need you to stay here with me right now," she said, letting go of him reluctantly. "I understand," he said softly. "I know. But it will only be a few days. I will be here after that, all the time." He touched her nose with his forefinger. "I will." She looked down, trying not to cry. "I don't want you to go," she said. "Neither does Esperanza." "We have talked about this all morning, sweetheart," he said, his hands on her arms. "Father will be here with you and Esperanza, and so will Bernardo and all the vaqueros," "I don't need all that protection!" she protested. "I need you! I..." she looked at her father-in-law and fell silent. Alejandro went to his son. "Be careful, Diego. I do not think you have much to worry about, I think perhaps Elizabeth is right, but do not take a huge risk. If Monastario wishes to reappear here, he will do it on his own terms." Diego agreed. "That is why I want to find him first," he said. Elizabeth kept staring at her shoes. He noticed for the first time that she was wearing one of his favorite dresses, featuring a soft brown skirt and a cris-crossed pattern of golden embroidery on the bodice. It was low-cut and revealing. Diego looked at his father and nodded slightly in the direction of the gateway to the courtyard. Alejandro half-shrugged. "I shall leave you two to your goodbyes, then," he said. They waited until he was gone, and then Diego took her in his arms. "You dressed up for me this afternoon, didn't you?" he asked her. She nodded, sniffling. "No tears, sweetheart," he said. "I will be back before you have missed me!" "I miss you now," she told him unhappily. "Don't go." He lifted her chin so that he could look into her eyes. "How pretty you are," he told her. "I don't want to do this waiting alone," she said, teary. "Then do not think of it as waiting," he said gently. He brushed a tear off her cheek. "Just go about your day and take care of our beautiful little girl and listen to her new words and write every one of them down for me so that I will not miss anything while I am gone. Visit Clementia every afternoon and encourage her about their roof. Bernardo will help you with your fencing lessons. And look, the sun is shining. Perhaps you can go rescue a few things in your garden. You can lunge Blanca, too, sweetheart. Just don't try to get on her until I am back, and until we know..." he looked around and lowered his voice, "...what we do not know yet." He gave her a light kiss on the lips. She sniffled and nodded. "I will write down everything Esperanza says," she promised. "And I won't try to ride Blanca." He kissed her head, and then leaned down further to give her another light kiss on the lips. "I love you, Liz," he said. Then he grinned. "You are my best wife." "I love you," she laughed through her tears, kissing him back. "You are my best husband." Then she stepped back and watched as Bernardo led Padre out into the stableyard to mount. She saw all the weapons on the horse and pushed back another sob as Diego mounted. "Adios, sweet seņora," he said to her with another smile. "I will see you soon," she said, waving to him as bravely as she could. ****** The good weather held as Diego began his journey across the Cahuenga pass and towards the hills where he knew he would find Windhawk's little village. Though he felt torn, as he always did, about leaving his family behind, he also appreciated the freedom that came with traveling alone. As he rode through the pass, he thought, as he so often did on this trail, of his mother and the many journeys they had taken up the Camino Real. What would she think of the journey he was making now, he wondered. She would not approve, he concluded. Stay home with your family right now, Diego, he nearly heard her say. Elizabeth needs your attention right now. He shook his head, trying to ward off his sense of guilt. She would be delighted to learn that she was going to have another grandchild, he thought. Then he felt overwhelmed with sorrow that these little children Elizabeth was bringing into the world would never know either of their grandmamas. "Life does not always hand us what we want," he said to Padre, patting the horse's neck and trying to shake off his own sense of loss. He considered the horse. Diego had come to like this gelding immensely, despite the unfortunate circumstances under which he had been acquired. He was intelligent, strong, and sure-footed. He was also an unusually big horse, which gave him a long stride and exceptional stamina. While his trot was cumbersome, riding him in a canter was like sitting in a rocking chair. His gallop was superb. Diego still remembered diving off of Tornado to knock Diablo off the horse when he gave him chase the night before he married Elizabeth. It was no wonder that Diablo, the outlaw who had ridden him until Zorro handed him his fate, was so attached to the horse. Padre was comfortable and fast. Not quite as fast as Tornado, Diego knew. But then he had never encountered a horse that could catch Tornado. Then he had a sinking feeling, remembering that indeed there was one that had proven Tornado's match. Caesar, the great white stallion Monastario rode. ****** After Diego departed, Elizabeth found herself at loose ends. Esperanza was sleeping peacefully for her afternoon nap, Alejandro had gone to the library to review accounts with his head vaquero, and everything in the hacienda seemed still in the cool sunshine. Restless, Elizabeth took a walk through her garden, and saw that there was nothing to do there unless she wished to shove a great deal of mud around. Frustrated and feeling terribly alone, she marched back to the stable and saddled Cloud Dancer. "We are going to Casa Matteo," she told the pretty grey mare. Cloud Dancer looked at her with serene brown eyes and nuzzled her arm. "I cannot stay here by myself while Diego is out chasing his ghost commandante and everyone else is asleep." In no time she had the mare ready to go. She went back to the hacienda. Finding no one about, she went to the kitchen where she encountered the cook, Conchita. "Buenos tardes, Doņa Elizabeth," the cook said, barely looking up from her tortilla-making. "Conchita, no one else is around, will you tell Don Alejandro that I have gone to visit my father for the afternoon?" she asked. "I will probably remain with him for supper, so you should not wait for me. And tell Maria to watch out for Esperanza, I will be home in time to put her to bed." "Si, I shall tell him," Conchita said. She viewed Elizabeth up and down. "Don Diego is gone, no?" she said. "Si, he has gone away for a few days," Elizabeth confirmed. "He is chasing Monastario," Conchita said. Elizabeth started. "How do you know that?" she asked. Conchita shrugged. "Everyone knows it. Everyone knew he would." Elizabeth frowned. "Do you not see, seņora? Everyone hated Monastario. Without El Zorro there is no one to protect us from him. Don Diego feels responsible, because he was the one who brought Monastario down." She shrugged. "He is the one who has to go. I only hope he does not find the commandante, for he is no match for him." "What do you mean?" Elizabeth asked. "Monastario was a greater swordsman than California has ever seen," Conchita said, confirming everything Diego had told her about his old enemy. "El Zorro was fast and lucky with him. Monastario never imagined he would encounter such a bandito. It threw him off of his game. El Zorro had a good horse, too, the black horse was as good a horse as Caesar. He could face Monastario. But Don Diego cannot even shoot a pistol, much less handle a sword." She shook her head. "He is making a mistake, going up there." She realized that she was alarming her mistress, who was several shades more pale than when she had entered the kitchen. "He is going to find the Indian, isn't he?" she asked. "Si," Elizabeth said. "He will travel with two of them into the forest." "That is good. I remember that Indian from when they were boys. He is a good Indian. He will not let anything happen to Don Diego." "Si," Elizabeth said. She was quiet and then said, "I will go, then, Conchita. You must say a prayer for my husband." "Oh, si, I will," Conchita nodded, giving her tortilla flour a whack. Elizabeth walked slowly back into the courtyard and across the stableyard to Cloud Dancer, thinking about what she had just heard. Perhaps he was up there in the hills, waiting to ambush Diego. She gulped, trying not to give in to the sudden fear that was overwhelming her. She leaned against the horse. Why didn't you take Bernardo? she thought. Why did you have to leave alone? Why did you have to do this, to go after him? She fought back more tears. Cloud Dancer stomped her foot lightly. "Oh, I know you want to go out into the sunshine," Elizabeth said to her, patting her neck. She led the mare outside and stepped up onto the stool that allowed her to mount more easily. In no time she was up and nudged the mare's sides with her heels. They walked slowly out onto the road and headed in the direction of Carlos Matteo's hacienda. Turning the situation over and over in her mind as she rode, Elizabeth realized how deeply personal Diego's mission was. Conchita had told her something he had not: he felt responsible, not only to his family but to the whole pueblo. She knew her husband well enough to know that although he had not gone as El Zorro, this was in fact Zorro's mission and he had to do it alone. She felt grateful that at least he was going to recruit Windhawk for help. But then she realized that in fact he might not go to Windhawk's village at all. Diego had a stubborn streak and she knew he was a proud man. He might go alone up into those hills to find Monastario. Would he have lied to her? She thought about that. He had done it before, though he sincerely regretted it. Somehow she did not think he would this time. He also had enough sense to know that the value of Windhawk's knowledge of the hills was too great not to draw upon in his search. Several miles from home, she rode to the top of a rise and looked about, her eyes turning to the north and the Cahuenga pass. Her beloved was up there somewhere, crossing into the valley. The sunshine made everything bright. Snow capped, the tall San Gabriel mountains rose in the distance. She patted Cloud Dancer's neck again, stopping. The horse immediately lowered her head in search of grass on the side of the road. Elizabeth sat there for a long time, simply looking out across the sparkling land. Green abounded everywhere because of all the rain. Grasses were abundant, even sprouting up on the road. "It is spectacular, is it not?" came a man's voice from behind her. She started and turned around. There, having come up behind her silently, was a tall man on a great white horse. She gasped. "I am sorry, I did not mean to startle you," he said to her, nodding elegantly. He sat on the horse with tremendous confidence and an exceptional seat, holding the reins in that light way that only accomplished riders could. She could think of no one who looked this commanding on a horse except El Zorro. "I did not even hear your horse!" she said. "He has a light footstep in the grass," the man said, coming closer to her. She looked straight into his face. He was astonishingly handsome, with a high forehead and high cheekbones, thick dark, wavy hair, greying sideburns, and piercing blue eyes. He smiled at her, revealing deep dimples on both sides of his mouth. "I do not know you, seņor," she said, fighting to keep her composure. Cloud Dancer's head raised, sensing Elizabeth's blood racing. "No?" he asked. "No, I am sure we have never met," she said. "Are you new to Los Angeles?" He smiled even more broadly. "I have not been here in many years," he replied, leaning into the saddle a little. He looked around. "It is still very beautiful, just as I remembered." His eyes rested on her again. "But I do not remember you. And I have a very good memory for the fine ladies of Los Angeles." "I have only been here for two years," she answered, wondering how to get away and telling herself over and over to remain calm. He cocked his head curiously, thinking. "You look familiar," he observed. He looked out onto the landscape again, thinking. Then he looked at her again. "Matteo. You are Carlos Matteo's daughter," he said. "You have a resemblance to your father, but it is your mother that you favor. He showed me her portrait." Elizabeth froze, for now there was no pretending that this was anyone other than the man to whom her father had sold the land. "Ah," she said. "You must be Seņor Mordante," she said. "You bought the land from my father yesterday." He laughed. "Si," he confirmed. "Are you on your way to his house now, Seņora...de la Vega?" Elizabeth blinked. Then she gathered her courage and smoothly said, "Si, I enjoy a pleasant ride and we have had such bad weather. This is my first opportunity to get out in days. I am going to spend the afternoon with my father, do you care to accompany me?" She looked straight into his eyes with her question. Mordante smiled. "What a pleasant thought," he said, more to himself than to her. "Where is your husband, that you are out here by yourself on such a sunny afternoon?" "He is on an errand," she said lightly, pulling Cloud Dancer around and giving the horse a nudge to resume their walk. "If you have been in Los Angeles before you must know the de la Vegas?" He sat on his horse for a moment as she walked away, then pressed his knees into the stallion's side and trotted to catch up to her. "The de la Vegas are a famous family in California....though when I was here there was some question as to whether or not there would be a new generation. Don Alejandro's son showed no interest in marriage, in those days. He was occupied with other activities, I believe." He kept looking at her. Though she did not return his gaze, she knew full well that he was sizing her up. "That appears to have changed," he finally observed. She looked over at him. "Do you know my husband, Seņor Mordante?" she asked him boldly. The man's eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were making a decision of some kind. "Si," he said slowly, "I know your husband, Seņora." She jerked Cloud Dancer to a halt. He stopped his horse as well. "You would be correct if you assume that he treasures his family above everything else," she stated. Mordante's eyebrows raised slightly and his lips rose in a half-smile. For a long time he said nothing. "Do you realize," he finally asked her, "how foolish you are, Seņora?" "What do you mean?" she asked, keeping his gaze and trying to keep her lower lip from trembling. "Well," he laughed, "you are out here alone on an empty road in the middle of the day. Your husband is nowhere to be found, nor is your father, nor your venerable father-in-law, nor your servants...." he sighed. "I am glad that I found you, for I can protect you if any danger should befall you." "Would you do that, Seņor Mordante?" she asked him. "Would you protect me?" "I would protect any lady on the highway who was in need of help," he answered with a flourish of his hand. His horse pranced lightly. She could see his sword sheath bouncing at the horse's side. She again nudged Cloud Dancer onward. "You are welcome to join my father and me for supper," she said to him over her shoulder. Mordante contemplated the invitation. He trotted up beside her again. "That is a kind offer but I must decline," he said. They walked side by side for a while. Elizabeth glanced over at him to see that he was looking ahead, apparently lost in thought. His profile was as fine as looking straight into his face. She could not, in stealing her glances, see the cruelty that was so often referred to amongst the townspeople. Still, he radiated power. "Why did you buy that land from my father?" she asked him. "Now is the time," he answered simply. "I will return to Mexico and wait for it to grow in value. It will be worth a great deal in twenty years. I will give it to my son. He will be better off in California than where he is now." "You have a son?" she said. "Si, in Mexico City." He looked over at her. "I understand from your father that you have a daughter. A very pretty one, if he is to be believed." "Si," Elizabeth said, having no reason to lie to him in the face of what he already knew. He smiled at her. "We shall have to introduce my son to your daughter one day," he said. Despite herself, Elizabeth smiled back. "She is only ten months old," she said. "I cannot think that far." Mordante shook his head, still smiling. "De la Vega has a daughter," he said thoughtfully. He looked Elizabeth up and down. She could feel his eyes taking her in. "He is a lucky man," Mordante said. "To have such a beautiful family." Elizabeth felt a sudden new ripple of fear, but she kept riding, her eyes ahead. She could see her father's house in a grove of eucalyptus trees in the distance. "What is her name, your little girl?" he asked. "Esperanza," Elizabeth answered, trying not to choke. "What do you call your son?" "He has my name," came the answer. "Enrique." They reached a crossroad, where the road continued west or travelled northward, towards the Cahuenga Pass. Mordante pulled his horse to a halt. "This is where I must say adios, Seņora," he said. "Oh?" Elizabeth looked at him. "Are you sure you will not join us for a good supper?" He shook his head slowly. Once again his eyes swept over her. It was almost as if he were memorizing her. "Thank you for seeing me safely this far," she said. "It is the least a gentleman can do," he answered her. Then he added, "Do not forget. We must introduce our children one day." With that he wheeled the white stallion around, gouged its sides, and galloped northward. Elizabeth watched as the mud and dirt flew up behind the horse's great haunches and tail. Her heart slowed from its pounding. Cloud Dancer wandered again to the side of the road and began to graze as Elizabeth sat on her, feeling stunned. What just happened? she kept asking herself. That was him, that was Monastario. I have just encountered Monastario. I have ridden beside him, I have told him our daughter's name! She had to breath deeply in order to keep herself from hyperventilating. Was his charm genuine, or was he playing with me? she wondered. She heard Diego's voice in the back of her mind, saying "He is intelligent and cunning, as well as a world-class swordsman and a formidable shot." She looked again up the road where horse and rider had galloped away. Oh, Diego, she thought, her heart starting to race again. He is behind you, he is behind you. He is right behind you. ****** Wishing to reach Windhawk before the darkness fell, Diego hurried Padre across the valley and up into the hills as the afternoon wore on. He found himself alternately pondering what Monastario was trying to do, and reflecting on the prospect of a new baby in the household. The two problems did not coincide easily, though they both had large implications. He wanted more children, given how much he adored Esperanza and how much he wanted a son. But another pregnancy for Elizabeth, this soon after her near-death with Esperanza, worried him greatly. Once again he was confronted with how very much he loved his wife. He could not imagine his life without her. You are so much more than I dared dream for, he thought, imagining her lovely face before him. The longer we are married the more I need you. As the shadows lengthened, he could think only of her safety and good health. Another experience like the one with Esperanza would kill her, he knew. Suddenly he felt bereft, as if she were a million miles away. He briefly wished he had brought her with him on this journey. She could have remained in the village with Soaring Bird while the men went into the hills. He stopped at a small lake to let Padre rest and drink the clear water. They were at a higher elevation now, and while the sun was still above the horizon it was now behind the hills they climbed. The horse went straight for the water after Diego dismounted. He stretched his legs and then leaned against a rock, staring across the canyon in search of the narrow opening in the boulders that would put him on the path to Windhawk's village. Finally he spied it, smiling to himself. It was so well-camouflaged that only eyes that knew what to look for would even see that there was any passage there at all. The boulders were dun-colored in the evening light, blending into one another in lumpy splendor. He looked up the rock walls and down again. The passage was nearly half a mile long and so narrow that only one man on a horse could pass at a time. It was too narrow even for an ambush. As boys, he and Windhawk had named the passage "The Needle" for it took such patience to find and thread through it on foot or on horseback. It was not the only route from Los Angeles to the Indians' village, but it was the fastest, cutting a good half an hour out of the journey. As he saw the light fading he was glad it had not been closed off by falling boulders in one of the several small earthquakes since their boyhood. He walked over to Padre and gave the horse a pat. "You are working hard today, my friend," he said. He noticed the package that Bernardo had hurriedly added to his saddle as he left. Reaching for it, he pulled it off and opened it. Inside and carefully folded were Zorro's shirt, cape, trousers, banda, and bandana. He shook his head, shoving them back into the bag. "Come, boy," he said, pulling at the horse's reins. Padre shook his head over the water and then followed Diego to a flat place on the small shoreline. "You can graze after we get there," Diego told him, getting up onto the horse. He rode around the lakeshore to the entry point in the rocks. Padre hesitated. Diego gave him a squeeze with his knees, nudging him onward. Again the horse hesitated. Diego frowned. "What is is?" he asked. He looked around. The light was disappearing quickly now, but he could see nothing ahead that would make the horse protest going into the narrow passage. "Must I dismount and walk you though this?" Diego asked. "Are you claustrophobic?" he laughed, patting Padre's neck. "Come on, let's go in, I have done it many times, you will have plenty of room to breath." He gave the horse another nudge. This time he took the instruction and began to walk carefully into the rocky passage. They were nearly halfway through, and past the only point where turning around was possible, when the horse suddenly pricked his ears and stopped again. Diego frowned. A small rock tumbled from above and onto the path in front of them. Diego looked up. He could see nothing in the falling darkness. Another rock pinged down the hill, landing behind them. Then another. Padre reared up slightly, unnerved. Several more small rocks rained down on them. Diego listened and then gave the horse a hard kick in the ribs as more rocks began to tumble down into the Needle. Banging his rider's legs against boulder after boulder, Padre gathered speed as the rocks continued to tumble in on them. Then Diego heard a huge rumbling sound and kicked the horse again. The sound of crashing began above them, as larger rocks began falling. They stayed barely ahead of it, the horse racing as best he could in the narrow passage. Diego could feel the pain as his legs whacked against the rock walls. They finally broke out of the narrow path but Diego again kicked the horse, wanting to get as clear of the rolling boulders as he could. Indeed, several rumbled after them as they bore downhill in tall grass on the other side of the narrow pass. Diego looked over his shoulder and jerked the horse to the right just in time to avoid an enormous rock crashing down just behind them. Finally they reached the flattened plain below. Diego looked back up. It was nearly dark but he could see that the landslide had been atrocious and that the Needle was probably blocked forever. His legs ached, and he realized he was probably terribly bruised. His right leg had taken a particularly hard hit. Painfully, he dismounted and limped around Padre carefully, trying to ascertain if he had been injured in the mad run. He felt all four legs carefully. Aside from a couple of long, thin cuts on his upper legs, Padre seemed to have fared all right, though his eyes were still wide. He snorted indignantly. Diego patted his muzzle. "Thank you," he said. "Tornado could not have done that faster or more accurately than you did," he told the horse. He looked back up into the rocks, realizing what a close call he had just had. Then from out of nowhere, one more small rock came pinging down the hillside, landing very accurately at his feet. He leaned over and picked it up, looking up again. He stared up the hill for some time. Everything was quiet. In the distance, a coyote howled. It was dusk.